Ethiopia has consistently denied that its forces are in Somalia, but Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia acknowledged last week that his troops were training forces of the nominal Somali government, which is based in Baidoa. $@

REYKJAVIK

Iceland breaks ban on commercial whaling

Iceland has broken a global moratorium on commercial whaling, killing an endangered fin whale for the first time since the 1980s, local media reported.

Fisheries Minister Einar Kristinn Gudfinnsson said his ministry would issue licenses to kill nine fin whales and 30 of the more numerous minke whales in the year ending Aug. 31.

Iceland announced last week that it would resume commercial whaling, ignoring a worldwide moratorium that came into effect in 1986.

The announcement was condemned by conservation groups and many governments around the world, but praised by Norway and Japan. $@(AP)

JERUSALEM

Israel says it used phosphorous shells

The Israeli Army used phosphorous artillery shells against Hezbollah guerrilla targets during their war in Lebanon this summer, an Israeli cabinet member said, confirming Lebanese allegations for the first time.

The cabinet member, Yaakov Edri, liaison to Parliament, said Sunday that Israel used the weapons during the 33-day war "against Hezbollah in attacks against military targets in open ground." $@(AP)

GAZA

Gun battle with Israelis kills 7 Palestinians

Israeli forces killed seven Palestinians and wounded about 20 people in fighting in the Gaza Strip on Monday, a Palestinian Health Ministry official said.

As the official described the scene, citing witnesses, the Israelis first killed three men paying a condolence call to the family of a militant shot to death by Israeli soldiers. Other Palestinians returned fire, the witnesses said, and a gun battle ensued, leading to the other casualties. $@(Reuters)

DAMASCUS

Activist author faces new criminal charges

A judge has filed new charges against the detained Syrian writer and political activist Michel Kilo, a human rights activist said Monday.

Kilo was among a dozen people arrested in May after signing a petition that called on Syria to improve relations with Lebanon. The new charges include incitement and "harming Syria's dignity," said the activist, Ammar Qurabi.

The Syrian government almost never comments on political detentions or releases.

Qurabi said last week that a court had ordered Kilo's release on bail after four months in custody, but a different judge filed the new charges, Qurabi said Monday. $@(AP)

SOFIA: Volen Siderov , an ultra- nationalist who has regularly assailed Bulgaria's minorities, will face the incumbent, Georgy Parvanov, in a presidential runoff vote, the Central Election Commission said Monday. Voter turnout fell below the 50 percent required for a first-round victory, the commission said. Parvanov took 64 percent in the first round ballot, while Siderov came second with 21.5 percent, according to results after 99 percent of the ballots were counted. The runoff will be held Sunday. $@(AFP)